New Oklahoma National Register Listing

Contact: Lynda Schwan
(405) 522-4478

Oklahoma City, OK
March 6, 2009
For Immediate Release

The State Historic Preservation Office is pleased to announce that five new properties from Oklahoma have been added to the National Register of Historic Places as of February 23, 2009. The National Register is the nation's official list of places significant in our history. The new listings from Oklahoma include two schools and three Lustron houses. Additional documentation was also approved for the Frank and Jane Phillips House in Bartlesville and the Swan Lake Historic District in Tulsa.

Northside and Parkside Elementary Schools in Blackwell, Kay County, Oklahoma were constructed in 1956 and 1955 respectively. The schools were designed by the famed architectural firm of Caudill, Rowlett, Scott and Associates. The schools are an excellent example of Modern architectural style in Oklahoma. Cynthia Savage prepared the nominations on behalf of Preservation Oklahoma.

Because of its low-maintenance materials and its modern styling, the Lustron House attracted significant attention from the government, the public, and the media as an attractive and affordable solution to the post-World War II housing crisis. Unlike its prefabricated predecessors, the modern conveniences and more traditional architectural styling of the Lustron allowed it to achieve marketplace success far beyond that of earlier metal prefabs. This single story rectangular home featured a low-pitched gabled roof and a recessed front porch, similar to that of other traditional homes of the period. Ahead of its time in terms of design, the plan for this 1,000 square foot home emphasized openness and utilized built-ins to maximize space in almost every room. It featured an exterior and interior skin of enameled steel panels bolted to a structural steel frame and a concrete slab foundation. The three newly listed Lustron Houses include: the Josephine Reifsnyder Lustron House in Stillwater, the Christian K. Usher Lustron House in Cushing and the Lustron House at 1554 SW Rogers in Bartlesville.

The State Historic Preservation Office continues to strive to gain recognition for those places significant in Oklahoma's history. For more information on these or other National Register properties, contact Lynda Schwan at (405) 522-4478 email: lschwan@okhistory.org.